[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate
Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Chicago
Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) will receive $25 million in
funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Today’s
funding is part of $452 million announced by the Department of Energy
for 25 projects nationwide. CMAP will use the funding to retrofit
commercial buildings for increased energy efficiency in downtown Chicago
and provide a range of financing and loan options, as well as tax
credits, for residential energy retrofits.

“This
funding is an investment in the effort to reduce the carbon footprint of
Chicago area residents and businesses,” said Durbin. “It will create
the good-paying jobs that will drive our economy in the years to come.”

CMAP’s Chicago Retrofit Ramp-up Program aims to reduce the cost to
consumers for acquiring energy-efficient contractors, expand the trained
energy-efficient retrofit workforce, match workers with jobs, and
provide information and financing to building owners. Additionally, the
program will create an information center that homeowners and building
owners can use to arrange and finance projects, identify rebate
opportunities, and find qualified contractors.